Means applicable for use in the steaming of hats



July 16,1929. 1,720,978

MEANS APPLICABLE FOR USE IN THE STEAMING OF HATS E. SYDNEY v Filed Aug. 1:5, 1928 Invenov'; mf

E. SYDNEY July 16, 1929.

SfSheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. l5, 1928 n HN E. SYDNEY July l6, 1929.

MEANS APPLICABLE FOR USE IN THE STEAMING OF HATS Filed Aug. 15, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet Patented .lilly lr6, lllQ.

narran raras ERNEST SYDNEY,

OF LONDON, ENG-LAND, .QSSGNOR TO JAMES ROBINSON t SONS (ROMILEY), LMETED, OF ROMILEY, ENGLAND.

MEANS APPLCABLE EGR USEN THE STEAMNG OF HATS.

Application filed. .August 13, 1&28, Serial No. 299,193, and in Great Britain April 16, 1928.

This invention has reference to the manufacture ot hats composed ot i'elt and relates to an improved method ot and apparatus applicable 'or use more particularly in the steaming operation connected with the manufacture of solft felt hats; the object being' to enable the said operation to be performed in an approximately continuous manner on the hat forms as they are successively submittcd to the action of the steam, thereby etecting an economy in time and labour.

lin steaming hat forms according to 'the usual practice it is necessary in order to eX- pcdite the progress oit the operation with the exist-ing machines to extract the steamed term rom the mould or clamp before it has become sutliciently cooled to admit of salie removal. Thus, there is always the risk ot damaging the steamed form while considerable loss of time is entailed it it be allowed to remain in the mould for the whole or the cooling period.

According to this invention, the steaming is carried out continuously and successively by 'inserting the hat forms into rotatably mounted moulds or clamps and, after subjecting the said forms to the action oi the steam, turning the moulds or clamps throughl an angle into a vertical attitude and rotating the same to bring successive moulds or clamps into operative position.

Apparatus adapted for carrying out the method of working above described comprises a number or se-ries of mould plates or clamps mounted on radial arms extending from a rotatable carrier or turntable which is mounted on a pillar or other support carried by a suitable base or bed plate. The rotatable carrier may be mounted on ball or other antii'riction bearings and the moulds or clamps, each ot' which comprises an upper and a lower plate, are respectively hinged or attached to the said carrier in such a manner that, while the whole mould structure is ca pable of being turned through a right-angle, the upper plate may be similarly turned independently ol the lower plate.v y rlhe latter when in a horizontal position is adapted to close or seal the upper end ota chamber' conveniently mounted on the base or bed plate; steam being admitted to the said chamber by way of a. pipe or pipes which may be vled through the pillar or support and from the latter to the lower end ot the steam chamber, there being a regulating cock convenient to the said chamber and a shut-od valve on the supply pipe exterior to the machine.

The several moulds or clamps are preferably provided with weights or equivalentr now be more iully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side view of the apparatus partly in section.

Figure 2 is a corresponding plan.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation looking at the iront or right-hand side or Figure l.

Figure 4l is a detail view of a form of hinge connection between the arms pertaining to the rotatable carrier and the mould plates or clamps.

a a indicate mould plates or clamps which are mounted on arms o o extending radially from the rotatable carrieror turn-table c. .'lhe latter is mounted on ball or other antii'riction bearings such as indicated at cZ on the upper end of a pillar e or other support carried by a base 0r bed plate The lower plate ot each mould or clamp has a radially extending arm g which is hinged at Zt to the arms o Z) extending from the turn-table c and the upper plate of each mould is hinged at z' to posts c 7c on the outer ends of the arms Z) o; the hinge litting to the upper plate carrying arms Z Z to which weights Z2L Z1L are attached. Similarly, the arms g have weights g1 attached thereto.

m indicates a chamber to which steam is supplied by way ot a pipe m1 which passes through the pillar e and is provided, exterior to the apparatus, with a shut-oil valve m11, the supply pipe, at or near its connection with the chamber., being provided with a regulating valve, indicated at mm. The said chamber preferably contains a layer ot material such as straw indicated at n, which is packed between perforated metal discs or plates al n1. The chamber fm, is suitably mounted on the base or bed plate 7.

o indicates the screw device for clamping the parts oi the mould together when the material ot the hat has been placed therein and p indicates the device tor imparting pressure to the hat block. The use and purpose of these devices will be readily understood by those acquainted withl the art.

g g are bracket arms, shown mounted on llO the wall of the steamchamber fm, for enabling the mould or clamps a to be centred in relation to the said chamber.

Each mould a may be provided with a handle or grip (not shown) for use in effecting the rotative movement about the centre of the pillar or support.

In the apparatus illustrated, the rotatable carrier or turn-table c is adapted to accommodate four moulds or clamps a. This number may, however, be varied by increasing or otherwise modifying the same as circumstances may require or according te desire.

In using the apparatus, a mould having been brought into position over the .steam chamber and the upper plate turned up about the hinge c', a hat r indicated in dotted lines in Figure l, is inserted, whereupon the said upper plate is turned down into position on the lower plate and clamped thereto by means of the screw device o. Pressure is then applied to the hat block by manipulating` the screw device p and steam admitted to the chamber m by opening the valve m11 pertaining' to the supply pipe m1 the volume and pressure being adjusted by means et a regulating device mm. Upon the completion of the steaming operation, the steam supply is shut oit and the mould raised by turning the same about the hinge joint h into the vertical position as shown clearly in Figures l and 3 in which it will be retained 'by the counter balance weights g1 and Z1. rIhe carrier c is then given a partial rotation which brings another mould a into position and centered over the steam chamber and the several steps hereinbefore described repeated and so on with each mould in succession.

It is found in working with a machine adapted to accommodate four moulds that upon the completion of the steaming operation in connection with the fourth mould the hat form treated in the first mould of the series will be suiciently cooled to ensure a perfect and lasting shape and to allow the hat to be removed without fear ot' shrinkage or any loss of time; both otwhich are unavoidable under all other methods of steaming. Thus the apparatus admits ot' continuous and successive working each hat being in full view oit operator throughout the process. The improved method ot working results in the production of hat forms devoid of the inconsistencies incidental or often attributed to the method of working heretofore. practised and enables a great saving in time and labour to be elected.

I claim l. In apparatus for steaming hat forms, the combination with a chamber and means for supplying steamthereto of a series of moulds each comprising separable plates and adapted to rece-ive and clamp the hat ilorms7 a rotatably mounted carrier, radial arms extending from the said carrier, hinged connections between the separable plates and between the respective plates and the arms, the arrangement being such that the upper plate or the whole mould structure may be turned into a vertical attitude and when the hat form is inserted and the upper plate closed thereon and on the lower plate and the whole mould structure is in a horizontal position over t-he steam chamber so as to close the same the hat form is steamed by the action thereon o't the steam supplied to the said chamber.

2. In apparatus for steamin hat forms, the combination with a chamber and means for supplying steam thereto, oi a series ont moulds comprising separable counter-weighted plates and adapted to receive and clamp the hat forms, a rotatably mounted carrier, radial arms extending from the said carrier, hinged connections between the said separable plates and between the respective plates and the arms, the arrangement being such that the upper plate or the whole mould structure may be turned into a vertical attitude or turned so as to close the steam chamberfor the steaming of the hat form. y

3. In apparatus for steaming hat iorms, the combination with a chamber and means for supplying steam thereto, of a series oi' moulds comprising a hat block and separable counter-weighted plates adapted to receive and clamp the hat forms, a rotatably mounted carrier, radial arms extending from the said carrier, hinged connections, between the separable plates and between the respective plates and the arms and screw operating means for clamping the plates of the mould and imparting pressure to the hat block.

a. In apparatus for steaming hat forms, the combination with a chamber and means for lsupplying steam thereto, of a series of moulds comprising a hat block and separable counterweighted plates adapted to receive and clamp the hat forms, a rotatably mounted carrier, a pillar and antifriction bearings thereon for supporting the carrier, radial arms extending from the said carrier, hinged connections between the separable plates and between the respective plates and the arms and devices pertaining to the mould structure operable by means of screws for eiifecting the clamping of the hat forms and imparting pressure to the hat block.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my signature this 24th day of July, 1928.

ERNEST SYDNEY. 

